


A Weekend in Paris

by littlemisscurious



Series: Days In Our Lives [25]
Category: Actor RPF, Benedict Cumberbatch - Fandom, British Actor RPF
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Paris - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-12
Updated: 2014-01-15
Packaged: 2018-01-08 13:05:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1132998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlemisscurious/pseuds/littlemisscurious
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>1. A/N: The first of the ‘444 Followers Prompts’. Thanks to stelkoko for sending it in!! Part 2 will follow shortly; unbeta’d</p><p>2. A/N: Features Ben & Charlene from “Days In Our Lives" and takes place after "Lazy Morning" :)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Part 1

“Why won’t you tell me where we are going?” A sweet smile on her lips, Charlene wrapped her arm around Benedict’s waist, batting her eyelids at him at the same time in hope of finding out the destination of their trip. Benedict, however, remained secretive and merely grinned at her weak attempts of obtaining any kind of information from him. “Patience, love. It’s a virtue.” Cutting off her answer to this with a long and tender kiss, he continued to lead her down the empty corridor of the airport not long after.

It was still very early in the morning and he had organised a private plane to whisk them away onto a mini-holiday. Filming away from London and packed interview schedules had kept him incredibly busy over the last few months and, although he tried to spend as much of his free time with Charlene and his children, they hadn’t seen each other as often as they wished. Financial difficulties regarding one of his upcoming projects, though, had gained him a few days off now and after a call to Charlene’s boss he had managed to organise a short but well-deserved trip for the both of them while his mother looked after Noah and Vivienne.

Panting a little because of the length and pace of his strides, she walked beside him, her heels faintly clicking on the PVC coating on the floor being the only noise piercing through the morning drowsiness still hanging heavily over their surroundings.

“Good morning Mrs Cumberbatch, Mr Cumberbatch. Welcome aboard! Please take your seats, we will be ready for takeoff shortly.” “Thank you,” Benedict nodded with a smile, leading his wife into the small plane and to one of the comfortable seats by the window.

***

His eyes rested on Charlene as they approached the destination of their flight, the slowly awakening outskirts of Paris twinkling in the light of the rising sun. Judging from her expression she still did not know where they were headed and he had no intention to change this yet. Carefully he intertwined his hand with her slender one and she turned to smile at him.

“Thank you Benedict. Wherever we are going, thank you for taking the time to do this. I know how busy you’ve been and how much you long for a day at home with a book and no one to disturb you except for maybe Noah and Viv. So, I truly appreciate this.” Her eyes, so warm and loving, shimmered in the morning sun and he returned her smile gladly. “This is nothing you have to thank me for, darling. It was about time I get to spend some time with my wonderful, gorgeous wife again after I neglected you for so long. And even though it’s only for a few days, this trip will be only about you and me. No phone, no Emails, no interviews. Just you and me and the city of love.”

He bit his lip as her hand flew to her mouth. “We’re going to Paris?” Nodding at her question, Benedict waited for her response and squeezed her hand gently as tears filled her eyes. “Oh, thank you. I always wanted to go. Thank you so much!” Snaking her arms around his neck as best as she could sitting in her seat, Charlene hugged him tight, kissing his cheek at the same time ere she found his lips in a long and loving thank you kiss. “I’m glad you like our destination,” he breathed against her lips and a content smile on her face, Charlene nodded before she leant onto him, totally happy and slightly giddy now. Her hand resting on his thigh, she watched as the houses and streets came closer and closer while their plane descended on the Parisian airport of Charles de Gaulle. The sun was welcoming them in the French capital with her bright and warm beams as if she knew that it was Charlene’s first time and she wanted to present everything as pretty as possible.

***

He couldn’t take his eyes off her. She was almost floating in her pretty black shoes and her new red dress, both of which he had bought for her just moments ago, and that breathtaking smile never seemed to leave her lips. He wasn’t quite sure if he’d ever seen her so happy. “Come on Benedict. I can already see the Eiffel Tower,” she urged him on and he laughed. “Honey, you can see the Eiffel Tower from almost anywhere in Paris.” Charlene simply stuck her tongue out at him and continued down the path leading right up to the foot of the famous landmark, obviously determined at reaching it sooner rather than later.

With a few strides he had caught up with her and his arm found its way around her waist almost automatically. “I can’t believe we are in Paris,” she whispered, looking up at him with twinkling eyes. “Maybe a trip up la Tour Eiffel can convince you that we actually really are in Paris,” he smiled at her, bringing her to a halt only to kiss her as if it was their very first and very last kiss at the same time. Breathless she broke apart from him a while after, her fingers still holding onto his shirt, now slightly crumpled under her touch. “Sorry, couldn’t help it,” Benedict grinned like a schoolboy, pulling her gently along soon after, the foot of the tower coming closer and closer with every step.

***

“Merci beaucoup,” he smiled at the waiter who had brought them two glasses of champagne and he raised his in Charlene’s direction. “To a wonderful weekend,” Benedict suggested as a toast and she nodded with a loving smile. “And to us,” Charlene added ere they clinked glasses, her eyes never leaving his as she sipped from the sparkling drink. Still not quite believing that they were actually in the French capital sitting at a restaurant table on the second floor of the Eiffel Tower, she intertwined her hand with his and let her eyes roam over the city at their feet once more. The sandstone coloured buildings gleamed in the warm sunlight, bathing the city in a mix of gold and brown and yellow, contrasting perfectly with the grey and turquoise rooftops.

“What would you like to see today, sweetheart?” It was almost a whisper as he didn’t want to spoil the atmosphere and she turned towards him. “Everything,” Charlene laughed quietly, blushing at her impatience. “Um, I don’t know. Maybe Montmatre or the Louvre. The Palais Royal or the Champs Elysées. I have no idea. It’s all so beautiful and overwhelming and…it’s a dream come true. Really,…it is.” Nodding to affirm her statement once more, her eyes didn’t leave his as they glistened with tears of happiness again. “And it’s only just begun, my love. It’s only just begun,” Benedict promised with a smile, wiping away a tear that had escaped her eyes and threatened to roll down her cheek. This trip was to be perfect and he would do everything necessary to make sure she thought the same.


	2. Part 2

A quiet sigh left her mouth as she took in her reflection in the mirror. The floor-length gown hugged her every curve, surprisingly flattering her voluptuous bust and wider hips rather than making her appear simply big. Holding onto the dark wooden chest of drawers, she slipped into her 4-inch heels and stepped in front of the mirror once more. Happy with what she saw, Charlene grabbed her matching clutch and left the bedroom.

 

The light in the suite was dimmed and the open balcony door made the curtains flutter in the faint evening breeze. She could make out Benedict’s frame through the thin fabric and with confident steps she covered the few metres between them until she came to a halt beside him. His elbows rested on the thick stone banister as he looked out over the roofs of Paris. The Eiffel Tower stood proudly in the distance, illuminated by golden lights, quietly demanding everyone’s undivided attention.

 

Benedict turned towards her as the clicking of her heels on the stone floor stopped and his mouth dropped slightly at her sight. “Oh wow, darling, you look gorgeous!,” he stuttered, his eyes continuously wandering up and down her body until they came to a halt at her face. A smile played around Charlene’s lips and her eyes twinkled with pride and a quiet confidence. “Thank you, love. You look extremely dapper yourself,” she breathed, her fingertips gliding over the soft fabric of his suit lapels.

 

For a second she closed her eyes as Benedict pressed a tender kiss onto her cheek, the scent of his cologne wafting past her nose, reminding her of the last Christmas when she had given it to him and the following night he had worn nothing but Attimo Pour Homme. “Shall we go?,” he smiled, offering her his arm and after a nod, they left their suite and shortly after the Hotel Montalambert.

***

Her eyes fixed on him, she let her fingertips glide along the crystal stem of her wine glass, cold and smooth under her touch. His gaze was wandering around, taking in the other guests and the way the warm evening sunshine cast shadows on the streets of Paris. The wrinkles around his eyes had become more prominent over the last years, evidence to his ongoing devotion to acting while being a father to two young children who demanded his undivided attention as soon as he walked in through the front door.

 

“Like what you see?” She hadn’t realised that he had started looking at her now and she blushed when he caught her staring. “Yes. I love it even,” Charlene breathed, placing her hand gently on his resting on the stark white tablecloth. “You looked lost in thought, darling. Is everything okay?” A veil of worry clouded his eyes and she felt bad for ruining the moment. “I was just wondering if…if you ever pictured your life like this. With me and…and with Noah and Viv. Do you sometimes wish things were different?” He looked confused for a moment and even Charlene wasn’t quite sure why she had to bring this up now. They were in Paris, for god’s sake, on a romantic getaway and she was talking about what ifs and the past.

 

“Charlene, why would I ever wish for things to be different? I love you and I love Noah and Vivienne. You have made me so incredibly happy, nothing could ever be better than having you three in my life, right by my side,” Benedict answered, quietly, leaning forward a little while his hands held hers tightly but gently. “I’m sorry. I’m just being stupid, I guess,” Charlene mumbled, shaking her head ever so slightly while she lowered her gaze.

 

She looked back up when she heard the feet of Benedict’s chair scratching over the stone floor and he got up, pulling her gently off her chair shortly after. “What are you doing?,” she whispered with a smile, allowing him to pull her closer as his arm wrapped around her waist. “I am dancing with my gorgeous wife,” he responded with a grin as the group of musicians on the other side of the road moved closer before the tunes of “First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” filled the little alley in no time.

***

“I think I had a little too much wine,” Charlene whispered into his ear as they left the small restaurant shortly after midnight. His arm was safely around her waist and he chuckled as her grasp on his suit tightened just a notch. “Don’t worry, darling, I’ll get you home safely,” Benedict reassured her with a kiss to her temple and slowly they walked off into the night.

 

The little streets and alleyways were deserted and the air was humid, the threat of rain hanging heavily over the city. For a little while the clicking sound of Charlene’s heels was the only sound interrupting the blissful silence of the night. That was until thick raindrops fell from the sky, beating an irregular tattoo on the paved streets of the French capital, drenching both Benedict and Charlene in no time at all.

 

“Oh shit,” he laughed, taking off his jacket nonetheless to protect his wife from the downpour until they found shelter in a doorway. Giggling quietly, Charlene leaned onto him, her arms wrapped around his waist as his white button-down shirt turned slightly see-through from the rain. “Mhmm, I know exactly why I love rain so much,” she breathed into his ear, her fingertips now gliding over his shoulders and arms whose muscles, defined and strong, were even more accentuated by the clinging, wet fabric. “Shame you are wearing something black tonight,” Benedict replied, smirking, as she started loosening his tie. “Back in the hotel we might be able to change that,” Charlene whispered against his lips, the pouring rain shielding them like a curtain from the city beyond.

***

“Can’t we stay a little longer?” A smile on her lips, Charlene stretched beneath the sheets, the morning sunlight filtering in through the open balcony window making her hair shimmer in all shades of gold and brown and amber.”You know we can’t, my love. But we can come back another time, how does that sound, eh?” Benedict bit his lip as she turned in the bed, pouting playfully, while the thin bedsheet just about covered her delectable curves.

 

After a short glance at his watch, he walked over to the bed and climbed on it, his eyes wandering over the smooth skin of her naked back. “We still got a little bit of time left,” he whispered into her ear with a smile, his fingertips slowly gliding down her spine. She leaned into his touch, just about stifling a quiet and satisfied moan before she turned towards him, the bedsheet no longer hiding anything from his view. With hungry eyes he took her in, memories of the previous night flashing back before his inner eye and ridding himself of the towel around his waist, he pressed his lips against hers, all thoughts of leaving Paris momentarily forgotten.


End file.
